Shaft engaging knob

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a knob adapted for nonrotatable engagement with different cross-sectionally configured shafts, the knob having an internal, longitudinally extending cavity for receiving the shaft, a spring disposed within the cavity, and a projection extending into the cavity a sufficient distance, and having a width dimension, to enable the knob to be so coupled.

1191 1111 3,909,878 Natinsky 1 ct. 7, 1975 [54] SHAFT ENGAGING KNOB3,709,531 1/1973 Beehler 403/383 [76] Inventor: Ronald E. Natinsky,13135 Kerr RE N PATENT OR APPLICATIONS a a a 52 1,040,839 3/1965 UnitedKingdom 16/121 22 F'] d: N 5, 1973 1 l e W Primary Examiner-Robert L.Wolfe PP 412,655 Assistant Examiner-Doris L. Troutman Attorney, Agent,or FirmKenneth R. Glaser [52] 111.8. Cl 16/121; 74/553 51 1111.01. A471395/02 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 16/121; 292/353, 349; Disclosedis a knob adapted for nonrotatable engage- 403/3 3 3 345; 74 31 553 mentwith different cross-sectionally configured shafts, the knob having aninternal, longitudinally extending [5 References Cited cavity forreceiving the shaft, a spring disposed within UNITED STATES PATENTS thecavity, and a projection extending into the cavity a 2 283 905 5/1942 Bl 16/H8 sufficient distance, and having a width dimension, to

ea 3,130,990 4/1964 Leitmannm enable the knob to be so coupled.3,193,312 7/1965 Ehner 292/349 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures SHAFT ENGAGINGKNOB The present invention relates to knobs, and more particularly toknobs adapted for nonrotatable engagement with rotatably mounted shafts.

There are many applications where it is necessary to couple a knob witha rotatably mounted shaft to effect the rotation thereof. For instance,radio receivers have tuning and volume control shafts, the rotation ofthe knobs coupled thereto effecting the desired operation of thereceiver. Since there are many manufacturers of these radios, there areconsequently a wide variety of shaft configurations, the most commonlyemployed being a truncated cylindrical (or D-shaped) configuration and asplit or notched cylindrical configuration. As a consequence of thisvariation in shaft configurations, each knob, up to now, has had to havean internal configuration uniquely adapted for the particular shaft towhich it is coupled. Thus, suppliers of knobs have to maintain increasedinventory to take into consideration the differently configured shafts.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide anew and improved knob adapted for nonrotatable engagement with arotatably mounted shaft.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a knob havingan internal configuration adapted to interchangeably engage with shaftshaving different cross-sectional configurations.

It is an even still further object of the invention to provide a knobadapted for nonrotatable interchangeable engagement with shafts having atruncated cylindrical configuration as well as shafts of the notched orsplit type.

In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention isdirected to a knob adapted for nonrotatable engagement with a rotatablymounted shaft, the knob having an internal, longitudinally extendingcavity for receiving the shaft, and a projection extending into thecavity a sufficient distance, and having a width dimension, to enablethe knob to nonrotatably engage different cross-sectionally configuredshafts.

Additional features, as well as further objects and advantages of theinvention, will become more readily understood from the followingdetailed description to be read in conjunction with the attacheddrawings, in which like numerals refer to like or similar parts, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section ofa preferred embodiment of theknob of the invention, taken along the section line 11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view illustrating the engagement of the knob ofthe present invention with a rotatably mounted shaft of onecross-sectional configuration, a portion of the view of the knobillustrated as being broken away to provide a clear view of certainfeatures thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an isometric view illustrating the engagement of the knob ofthe present invention with a rotatably mounted shaft of a differentcross-sectional configuration than that of FIG. 3, a portion of the viewof the knob illustrated as being broken away to provide a clear view ofcertain features thereof.

The drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances haveportions which have been exaggerated to more clearly illustrate featuresof the present invention.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of theshaft engaging knob of the present invention is broadly depicted by thereference numeral 10. Accordingly, the knob comprises a main bodyincluding a conventional finger engaging portion 11 and alongitudinally, circumferentially extending wall portion 12. Theexterior of the knob 10 may be of any desired shape or appearance, andis not critical to the present invention, one such shape being depictedfor convenience in the drawings.

The wall portion 12 surrounds, and defines thereby, a longitudinallyextending socket or cavity 13 adapted to slideably receive a shaft, assubsequently described. Mounted within the cavity 13 adjacent the innersurface of the wall portion 12 is a resilient or spring-like sleeve 14adapted to resiliently engage the so-inserted shaft.

As a unique feature of the present invention, a projection 16, extendingfrom and preferably molded with, the wall portion 12 extends through acleft 17 of the resilient sleeve or ring 14 into the cavity 13. Theprojection 16 is desirably, although not critically, of a generallyrectangular configuration extending the entire longitudinal dimension ofthe cavity 13. As subsequently described, the projection 16 extends intothe cavity 13 a sufficient distance, and has a width .t", which enablesthe knob to nonrotatably grip shafts having the cross-sectionalcharacteristics respectively depicted in, and in the manner nowdescribed with respect to, FIGS. 3 and 4.

Specifically, and with initial reference to FIG. 3, a shaft 20 isdepicted having a truncated cylindrical, or generally D-shaped,configuration. The shaft 20 may be, for example, the conventional tuningshaft of a radio receiver and is rotatably mounted (by means not shown)through an opening in a receiver housing 30. When the knob 10 isslideably received by, and has its cavity 13 impressed upon, the end ofthe shaft 20, the spring or sleeve 14 firmly engages the periphery ofthe cylindrical surface 20a of the shaft, and face 16a of the projection16. engages the flat surface portion 20b thereof. As a consequencethereof, the knob 10 is prevented from rotation with respect to theshaft 20, and rotation of the knob results in the consequent rotation ofthe rotatably mounted shaft.

The knob 10 can also nonrotatably engage, and effeet the rotation of, arotatably mounted shaft having a configuration the same or similar tothe shaft 25 depicted in FIG. 4. As before, the shaft 25 can berotatably mounted within an opening in the housing 30, the shaft in thisinstance having a generally cylindrical configuration with adiametrically extending split or notch 26 therein. In this case, whenthe knob 10 has its cavity 13 impressed upon the end of the shaft 25(the resilient collar 14 engaging the periphery of the shaft), theprojection 16 (which has a width x slightly less than the width of thenotch 26) is inserted into, and held by, the notch 26. As a consequenceof this mating engagement, rotation of the knob 10 results in theconsequent rota tion of the shaft 25.

It is thus observed that a knob has been provided which has an internalshaft engaging portion which enables the knob to be interchangeablycoupled with more than one cross-sectional type of shaft while stillbeing restrained from relative rotation with respect to the shaftitself.

Various modifications to the disclosed embodiment, as well as alternateembodiments, of the present invention may become apparent to one skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A knob adapted for non-rotatable and interchangeable engagement witha first rotatably mountedshaft having a D-shaped end cross-sectiondefined by a circular portion terminating in a flat chordal segment aswell as a second rotatably mounted shaft having an end cross-sectiondefined by two semicircular portions separated by a diametricallyextending notch, said knob comprising:

a. a circumferentially extending wall defining a centrally disposedlongitudinally extending cavity for respectively receiving said firstand second rotatably mounted shafts, said circumferentially extendingwall having an end cross-section defined by an entirely circular shapedsurface portion solely interrupted by a projection of said wall portionextending into said cavity, said projection having a flat face thereof;and

b. a circular spring having its major portion adjacent to, andconforming to the shape of, the circular shaped surface portion of saidcircumferentially extending wall, said spring further having endportions terminating adjacent said projection;

c. said first rotatably mounted shaft, when received within said cavity,having its circular portion resiliently engaged by said spring along itsentire circumference, the flat chordal segment being engaged by the flatface of said projection;

d. said second rotatably mounted shaft, when received within saidcavity, having its two semicircular portions entirely surrounded by thecircular shaped surface portion of said circumferentially extending walland resiliently engaged by said spring along the entire circumference ofsaid semicircular portions with the projection extending into saidnotch.

2. A knob adapted for non-rotatable and interchangeable engagement witha first rotatably mounted shaft having a D-shaped end cross-sectiondefined by a circular portion terminating in a flat chordal segment aswell as a second rotatably mounted shaft having an end cross-sectiondefined by two semicircular portions separated by a diametricallyextending notch, said knob comprising:

a. a circumferentially extending wall defining a centrally disposedlongitudinally extending cavity for respectively receiving said firstand second rotatably mounted shafts, said circumferentially extendingwall having an end cross-section defined by an entirely circular shapedsurface portion solely interrupted by a projection of said wall portionextending into said cavity, said projection having a flat face thereof;and

b. resilient means disposed at the interface of the circular shapedsurface portion of said circumferentially extending wall and saidcavity;

c. said first rotatably mounted shaft, when received within said cavity,having its circular portion resiliently engaged by said resilient meansalong its circumference, the flat chordal segment being engaged by theflat face of said projection;

d. said second rotatably mounted shaft, when received within saidcavity, having its two semicircular portions entirely surrounded by thecircular shaped surface portion of said circumferentially extending walland resiliently engaged by said resilient means along the circumferenceof said semicircular portions with the projection extending into saidnotch.

3. A knob adapted for interchangeable and nonrotatable engagement withfirst and second types of tuning and volume control shafts of radioreceivers, the said first type of shaft having an end cross-section oftruncated cylindrical configuration and the said second type of shafthaving a notched cylindrical configuration, said knob comprising:

a. a first finger engaging portion; and

b. a second shaft engaging portion joined with said first fingerengaging portion, said second shaft engaging portion comprising acircumferentially extending wall portion defining a centrally disposedlongitudinally extending cavity adapted for slidably receiving the endof either said first or second type of shaft, said circumferentiallyextending wall portion having an end crosssection defined by an entirelycircular shaped surface portion solely interrupted by a projection ofsaid wall portion extending into said cavity, said projection having aflat face thereof;

0. the end of said first type of shaft of truncated cylindricalconfiguration, when received within said cavity, having its cylindricalportion completely surrounded by the circular shaped portion of saidcircumferentially extending wall portion, the truncated segment of saidfirst type shaft being engaged by the flat face of said projection,whereby said knob is restrained from rotation with respect to said firsttype shaft;

d. the end of said second type of shaft of notched cylindricalconfiguration, when received within said cavity, having its cylindricalportion completely surrounded by the circular shaped portion of saidcircumferentially extending wall portion, the said projection extendinginto the notch of said second type shaft, whereby said knob isrestrained from rotation with respect to said second type shaft.

1. A knob adapted for non-rotatable and interchangeable engagement witha first rotatably moUnted shaft having a D-shaped end cross-sectiondefined by a circular portion terminating in a flat chordal segment aswell as a second rotatably mounted shaft having an end cross-sectiondefined by two semicircular portions separated by a diametricallyextending notch, said knob comprising: a. a circumferentially extendingwall defining a centrally disposed longitudinally extending cavity forrespectively receiving said first and second rotatably mounted shafts,said circumferentially extending wall having an end cross-sectiondefined by an entirely circular shaped surface portion solelyinterrupted by a projection of said wall portion extending into saidcavity, said projection having a flat face thereof; and b. a circularspring having its major portion adjacent to, and conforming to the shapeof, the circular shaped surface portion of said circumferentiallyextending wall, said spring further having end portions terminatingadjacent said projection; c. said first rotatably mounted shaft, whenreceived within said cavity, having its circular portion engaged by saidspring along its entire circumference, the flat chordal segment beingresiliently engaged by the flat face of said projection; d. said secondrotatably mounted shaft, when received within said cavity, having itstwo semicircular portions entirely surrounded by the circular shapedsurface portion of said circumferentially extending wall and resilientlyengaged by said spring along the entire circumference of saidsemicircular portions with the projection extending into said notch.